At a recent 30th birthday celebration, a tragic event occurred. A young man, who was causing drama outside, decided to shoot two innocent people: a man and myself! I didn't even comprehend what happened because there was no warning. I was left with the bullet inside my body and needed an operation to reconstruct my knee and get all of the fragments of the bullet out. Living with diabetes and Lupus, things were touch and go. But, I made it! It was after this ordeal that I realized I could not have done anything different to avoid the situation. One of my favorite things to do is celebrate others and I was excited to take part in my friend’s birthday party. But, my view of this friend changed quickly when the woman whose party it was did not even has the gull to call, come by, nothing! I was so shocked that I almost lost my life and this lady was worried about if I was going to sue her; this was the last thing from my mind. I was in so much pain, both physically and emotionally, to realize I befriended someone who on the surface I thought was a good person. I later understood that I did not look deep enough to know if she knew God! I realized that being the woman I am and want to grow to be, I have to look beyond the surface. I was keeping company with the wrong one. I almost let it bring me down, but I realized being me allowed me to open my heart and that is what God taught me to do: love others as myself. While I did not receive any comfort or support from someone I considered a friend, I did learn that she would have to answer for that. I can only control what I put out! And my reward was that I received so much more support from the people who belong in my life that being a good person came back to me! I will never dim my light in the presence of anyone. I learned that I am worth taking the time to surround myself with like-minded people! What goes around comes around. It just may come from a source other than the one you would expect it to come from! I am wiser for the experience.

Shawna Lindsey